Here's What's Happening:

After 17 days of sport featuring 10,000 athletes taking part in some 300 events, the competition has officially wrapped up with the closing ceremony on Sunday.

The USA crushed the medal tally, with China, the UK, Russia, and Germany rounding out the top five.

On Sunday, Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge won the men's marathon, traditionally one of the final events of the games. Galen Rupp became the first American man to medal in the event since 2004.

The US men's basketball team won gold against Serbia, marking the star-studded team's third consecutive Olympic victory. The US women's basketball team won its sixth straight Olympic gold medal on Saturday.

Also on Saturday, Team USA dominated yet another night of athletics, with the men's and women's teams winning gold in the 4x400 meter relay races.

On the soccer field, Brazil bested Germany in a 5-4 in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out that thrilled the home crowd and restored some pride after an embarrassing 7-1 loss in the 2014 World Cup.

And the Ryan Lochte saga continues. In an interview with NBC News on Saturday, the swimmer apologized for "over-exaggerating" parts of his story, blaming his "immature behavior."

The final medal tally:

BuzzFeed News

Updated: 5 p.m. ET, Aug. 21 2016

Updates

Posted at
Aug. 21, 2016, at 23:33 PM

2016 Rio games end with closing ceremony

Manan Vatsyayana / AFP / Getty Images

Athletes gathered for one final celebration in Rio on Sunday, as the Olympic games officially came to a close.

Fireworks and music greeted national teams in the Maracana stadium. Performers celebrated Brazilian landmarks, and singers shared traditional and new songs.

Top 10 nations by total medals won

And, to appease angry Brits, here's the top five ranked via gold medals:

BuzzFeed News

Posted at
Aug. 21, 2016, at 20:38 PM

US beats Serbia for basketball gold

Andrej Isakovic / AFP / Getty Images

A star-studded US team beat Serbia in the men's basketball finals 96-66 on Sunday.

After a relatively close first quarter, the US pulled ahead and hung onto an easy lead of about 30 points for the rest of the game. Players included NBA stars including Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony.

Anthony is now the first man in Olympic history to win three gold medals in basketball.

In the preliminary round, Serbia had come close to the dominant US team, losing by only three points.

It was the 15th men's basketball gold for the US out of 18 appearances at the Olympic games.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 21, 2016, at 19:22 PM

Mongolian coaches strip to their underpants after loss

Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images

Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran of Mongolia and Ikhtiyor Navruzov of Uzbekistan wrestled for an Olympic bronze medal in the Men's Freestyle 65kg in Rio on Sunday.

With less than five seconds remaining, Mandakhnaran began to celebrate and was given a penalty point, costing the Mongolian wrestler the bronze medal.

That's when Mandakhnaran's coaches began to take off their clothes and protest in front of the judges.

Kyle Chandler won gold in the Men's Freestyle 97 kg wrestling final in Rio on Sunday.

The 20-year-old became the youngest ever American to win a wrestling medal in US Olympic history.

Khetag Gazyumov of Azerbaijan won silver.

—David Mack

Posted at
Aug. 21, 2016, at 14:55 PM

Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge wins gold in men's marathon

Sergio Moraes / Reuters

Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge took home the gold medal in the men's marathon event on Sunday.

Kipchoge finished the race in 2:08:44.

Ethiopia's Feyisa Lilesa won the silver, while Team USA's Galen Rupp won bronze.

Rupp is the fist American man to medal in the marathon since 2004.

"You know I was watching Happy Gilmore the other day and you know he fights being a golfer for a while saying he's a hockey player," he said after the race. "And I fought being a marathoner and wanted to run on the track, but, you know, maybe this is my best event."

The men's marathon is traditionally one of the last events of an Olympic Games.

—David Mack

Posted at
Aug. 21, 2016, at 01:55 AM

US men's team wins the gold in the 4x400-meter relay

Ian Walton / Getty Images

The US won the men's 4x400-meter competition in Rio, taking home the gold medal Saturday.

The US team was leading for the majority of the race, and Lashawn Merritt crossed the finish line to clinch the victory.

Merritt nearly lost his balance in the last turn of the race, almost stepping off the track but regaining his balance and keeping his lead over Jamaica.

Jamaica won the silver medal, while the Bahamas won the bronze.

—Salvador Hernandez

Posted at
Aug. 21, 2016, at 01:30 AM

US wins the women's sixth consecutive gold in 4x400-meter relay

Matt Slocum / AP

The US women won the 4x400-meter relay in Rio Saturday, continuing the American streak with the sixth consecutive time the US has taken gold in the Olympic competition.

The US led the pack of runners throughout race, while Jamaica followed in a close second for the relay.

But Allyson Felix pulled away during the last leg of the race, taking a decisive victory in the race, and her sixth gold medal.

Jamaica won the silver medal. Great Britain took the bronze.

—Salvador Hernandez

Posted at
Aug. 21, 2016, at 00:25 AM

Brazil wins first soccer gold medal in penalty shootout

Lars Baron / Getty Images

Brazil will take home the gold medal in soccer after beating Germany in a nail-biting 5-4 game that ended in a dramatic penalty shootout Saturday.

Despite being a top competitor in the world of soccer, including five World Cup titles, Brazil had never won a gold medal in the sport until Saturday.

US women's basketball team earns sixth consecutive Olympic gold

The US women's basketball team won its sixth straight Olympic gold medal in Rio on Saturday, soundly defeating Spain 101-72.

For three players — Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, and Tamika Catchings — it is their fourth medal for Team USA.

Saturday's championship win marks only the second time the US women's basketball team earned a triple-digit score in a final. The first was in 1996 when they faced Brazil.

—Tamerra Griffin

Posted at
Aug. 20, 2016, at 17:56 PM

Australian Olympians detained, fined for using falsified IDs at game

Ueslei Marcelino / Reuters

Nine Australian Olympic athletes were detained and later fined by Brazilian police Friday night for altering their credentials in order to gain entry into a men's basketball semifinal game between their home country and Serbia.

The athletes— who represented Australia in cycling, rugby, archery, rowing, and hockey — "had tampered credentials" according to a statement by Rio police obtained by Agence France-Press.

They were charged with "the crime of the use of false documents."
But the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) insists it was an honest mistake, and has apologized to the athletes for their troubles.

US Olympic swimmers Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger, speaking out for the first time since their teammate Ryan Lochte falsely claimed they and two other Americans were robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro, apologized to their team and offered a new account of what occurred during the Sunday morning incident that has made headlines around the world.

Bentz, 20, laid out his version of events — which has resulted in a police investigation and $11,000 payment after Lochte first claimed he was held up at gunpoint — in a statement Friday.

On Saturday, teammate Conger released a statement of his own that mirrored most of Bentz's account.

Simone Biles named flag-bearer for Team USA at Olympics Closing Ceremony

Alex Livesey / Getty Images

The US Olympic Team announced Friday that four-time gold medal champion gymnast Simone Biles would be the flag-bearer in the Closing Ceremony for the games.

She will be the first female gymnast to lead the team during either the opening or closing celebrations.

"It's an incredible honor to be selected as the flag bearer by my Team USA teammates," Biles said in a statement for Team USA. "This experience has been the dream of a lifetime for me and my team and I consider it a privilege to represent my country, the United States Olympic Committee, and USA Gymnastics by carrying our flag."

"I also wish to thank the city of Rio de Janeiro, and the entire country of Brazil, for hosting an incredible Games," she added.

—Tamerra Griffin

Posted at
Aug. 20, 2016, at 14:04 PM

British hockey players become the first same-sex married couple to win Olympic gold

Bolt sprints to record triple-triple crown with 4X100 relay gold

Usain Bolt achieved his coveted triple-triple record Friday night after helping his Jamaican team win gold in the 4X100-meter relay.

After Friday's hair-raising race, Bolt has gone three-for-three in his events in each of his three Olympics, winning gold a total nine times.

He won the 100-meter, 200-meter, and 4x100 in 2008 in Beijing, and repeated the feat in London 2012.

On Friday, Bolt did the same in Rio.

His historic feat with accompanied by drama on the track after Trinidad and Tobago and the US were disqualified for apparent line violations.

That put the final times and standings at Jamaica with 37.27, Japan 37.60, and 37.64 for Canada, which had finished just two one-hundredths of a second behind the US.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 20, 2016, at 01:37 AM

US women's track and field comes back to win second gold in 4X100 relay

David J. Phillip / AP

The US women's team rebounded from a disastrous qualifying round to win the 4X100 relay on Friday, beating Jamaica and defending the gold medal they won in 2012.

After a snafu in the qualifying rounds that saw a trip, a dropped baton, and, eventually, a successful case filed with the Rio Games' Jury of Appeals for a re-do, USA Track and Field's showing in the final race on Friday served as a firm affirmation of their ability to deliver.

The Americans won the final in 41.01 seconds. The Jamaicans crossed the line at 41.36, and Britain, which won bronze, at 41.77.

Team USA's performance also brought Allyson Felix a record fifth Olympic gold medal.

Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya set an Olympic record to win gold in the 5,000 meters on Friday, beating Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia, the favorite in the race, with just two lapse to go.

Cheruiyot pushed hard in the final leg, finishing far ahead of the group at 14 minutes 26.17 seconds. Hellen Obiri, also of Kenya, took silver after crossing the line 3.60 seconds later.

Ayana took the bronze with a time of 14:33.59.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 19, 2016, at 23:08 PM

Jimmy Feigen allowed to leave Brazil as US swimmers face discipline back home

Matt Hazlett / Getty Images

Matt Slocum / AP

RIO DE JANEIRO — US Olympic swimmer Jimmy Feigen has agreed to make a charitable donation of nearly $11,000 in exchange for being allowed to leave Brazil after becoming embroiled in a dispute over a robbery he and three teammates falsely claimed to have occurred in Rio.

Feigen's passport was returned to him Friday and he was given permission to leave the country after donating 35,000 Reals ($10,800) to Brazilian charity Instituto Reacao (Reaction Institute), the Associated Press reported.

Prosecutors wanted Feigen to pay a 150,000 reais fine ($47,000), but during the negotiations his lawyers said that he wouldn't able to pay that much and that the amount was "disproportionate" to the circumstances.

Also Friday, the International Olympic Committee formed a disciplinary commission to investigate the actions of Feigen, 26, as well as fellow swimmers Ryan Lochte, 32, Gunnar Bentz, 20, and Jack Conger, 21, according to the AP. The commission was organized the same day Lochte apologized for the false robbery claim.

—Alexandre Aragão reporting from Rio de Janeiro, and Jim Dalrymple II in LA

Posted at
Aug. 19, 2016, at 22:43 PM

Germany defeats Sweden to win gold in women's soccer

Luca Bruno / AP

Germany defeated Sweden 2-1 on Friday to win its first gold medal in women's soccer.

While Sweden, which eliminated the US team in the quarterfinals, ended its historic run with a silver, it was sweet silver — the women's soccer team has never made it to the Olympic podium. Germany, on the other hand, is a world champion and three-time Olympic bronze medal winner.

The Swedes came into the match having taken some ire from US goalie Hope Solo, who called them "a bunch of cowards" for their defensive style of play. She was later criticized for the comment.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 19, 2016, at 20:17 PM

US women's water polo team wins gold after dominating run

Adam Pretty / Getty Images

The US women's water polo team extended its dominance in the pool Friday after crushing Italy 12-5 to win its second consecutive Olympic gold medal.

Goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson, the first black woman to make the national team, made nine saves as Italy tried to at least give the Americans a fight. But Team USA smothered the pool, converting turnovers into points and hardly giving Italy a chance to score.

Team USA has been so dominant, the gold medal match extended their winning streak 22 games.

Russia captured the bronze after an edge-of-your-seat penalty shoot out that gave them a 19-18 win over Hungary.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 19, 2016, at 19:10 PM

Connor Fields ends USA gold medal drought in BMX

Tom Pennington / Getty Images

It was by a fraction of a second, but USA's gold medal drought in the homegrown sport of BMX ended Friday.

Connor Fields won with a time of 34.622 seconds, beating Jelle van Gorkom of the Netherlands by .684 seconds, giving Team USA its first BMX win since the sport was introduced at the Olympics in 2008.

Carlos Ramirez Yepes of Colombia took the bronze, also by a fraction of a second.

In the women's competition, Colombia's Mariana Pajon and fan favorite defended her gold medal by beating Alise Post of the US, 34.09 seconds to 34.43 seconds.

Venezuela's Stefany Hernandez won the bronze.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 19, 2016, at 18:18 PM

Russia whips up gold in near perfect synchronized swimming performance

Christophe Simon / AFP / Getty Images

Russia's synchronized swimming team won gold on Friday with a near perfect score in the free routine adding to an already impressive showing that the Rio Olympics.

Russia had been heavily favored to take team gold and did not disappoint with a rousing free routine angel costumes set to string music. It earned a near-perfect score of 99.1333 for a total of 196.1439.

And with duet gold medalists Natalia Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina on the team, the pair tied the record for most decorated Olympic synchronized swimmers with five golds.

Clive Rose / Getty Images

China took the team silver with a score of 192.9841, and Japan scored 189.2056 to earn bronze.

The US did not qualify to send a team to Rio.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 19, 2016, at 16:12 PM

Rio Paralympics faces major budget cuts

Cameron Spencer / Getty Images

President of the Organizing Committee of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games Carlos Arthur Nuzman talks during the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Maracana Stadium.

"Never before in the 56-year history of the Paralympic Games have we faced circumstances like this," IPC president Sir Philip Craven said.

"At the IPC we are a relatively small but united organisation. It's in our Paralympic DNA to see obstacles as an opportunity to do things differently and that's what we are doing here. We are problem solvers by nature and fight for what we believe in."

Though the games will still go on as scheduled next month, the cuts will affect venues, the workforce, and transport.

Posted at
Aug. 19, 2016, at 15:48 PM

Jimmy Feigen agrees to make $11,000 donation to charity in order to leave Brazil

Tom Pennington / Getty Images

US Olympic swimmer Jimmy Feigen has agreed to make a charitable donation of nearly $11,000 in order to be allowed to leave Brazil after becoming embroiled in a dispute over a robbery he and three teammates claimed to have occurred in Rio.

Breno Melaragno Costa, his legal representative in Rio, announced that an agreement had been reached with Brazilian authorities following a four-hour meeting with a judge and government officials at a police station on Thursday evening, ABC News reported.

Once Feigen has donated 35,000 Reals ($10,800) to Braziian charity Instituto Reacao (Reaction Institute), he will have his seized passport returned and be free to leave the country, Costa said.

Ryan Lochte Apologizes For Rio “Robbery” Story

Matt Hazlett / Getty Images

Ryan Lochte apologized Friday over fabricating a story about being robbed at gunpoint with his teammates by a man impersonating a police officer in Rio.

The US Olympic swimmer and his teammates became embroiled in an international controversy after they claimed to have been robbed at gunpoint during a night out in Rio. However, police discredited their account, saying that that Lochte and his teammates got into a confrontation with a security guard after they trashed a gas station's bathroom after leaving a party. Lochte behaved so erratically that the guard, an off-duty police officer, was forced to pull a gun on him, according to Rio officials. The guards then demanded money from Lochte and his teammates to pay for damages in cash.

Lochte, 32, and Jimmy Feigen, 26, were indicted by Brazilian authorities for falsely reporting a crime. Lochte returned to the US Monday, two days before the indictment was issued. Feigen agreed to make a charitable donation of nearly $11,000 in order to be allowed to leave Brazil on Thursday.

Ryan Lochte Apologizes For Rio “Robbery” Story

Matt Hazlett / Getty Images

Ryan Lochte apologized Friday over fabricating a story about being robbed at gunpoint with his teammates by a man impersonating a police officer in Rio.

The US Olympic swimmer and his teammates became embroiled in an international controversy after they claimed to have been robbed at gunpoint during a night out in Rio. However, police discredited their account, saying that that Lochte and his teammates got into a confrontation with a security guard after they trashed a gas station's bathroom after leaving a party. Lochte behaved so erratically that the guard, an off-duty police officer, was forced to pull a gun on him, according to Rio officials. The guards then demanded money from Lochte and his teammates to pay for damages in cash.

Lochte, 32, and Jimmy Feigen, 26, were indicted by Brazilian authorities for falsely reporting a crime. Lochte returned to the US Monday, two days before the indictment was issued. Feigen agreed to make a charitable donation of nearly $11,000 in order to be allowed to leave Brazil on Thursday.

Usain Bolt becomes first man to win three consecutive golds in 200m race

Bolt crossed the finish line at 19.78, a season best time. Canadian Andre De Grasse followed at 20.02 for the silver medal, and France's Christophe Lemaitre won bronze at 20.12.

It was Bolt's third Olympics in a row winning the 200-meter, a record. It was also his eighth Olympic gold medal, and his second at the Rio games.

Despite the gold medal finish, Bolt seemed a bit unimpressed by the feat.

"I'm always happy for the win, but I wanted a faster time," Bolt told NBC in an interview after the race. "I felt good, but when I came into the straight, my body wouldn't respond to me. So I guess it's just age and all the rounds that's taken toll."

— Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 19, 2016, at 01:34 AM

USA women win gold, bronze in 400-meter hurdles

Lee Jin-man / AP

The USA's Dalilah Muhammad won gold, and her American teammate Ashley Spencer won bronze on Thursday in the 400-meter hurdles.

Muhammad was first with a time of 53.13 seconds, and Spencer clocked in at 53.72. Sara Slott Petersen of Denmark won silver with a time of 53.55.

It was the first Olympic medal for both Muhammad and Spencer. Their wins came a day after US women swept the 100-meter hurdles, taking gold, silver, and bronze.

— Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 19, 2016, at 01:20 AM

USA's Ashton Eaton wins second consecutive decathlon gold

Adrian Dennis / AFP / Getty Images

Team USA's Ashton Eaton won gold in the decathlon on Thursday for the second time in his career.

Eaton also finished first in the event, which combines 10 track and field sports, in the 2012 London games.

On Thursday, Eaton's combined score tied with the Olympic record set in 2004. He earned top positions in the 100-meter dash, long jump, 400-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, and pole vault.

His placement within the top three in those events pulled him above the competition in spite of lower scores in javelin throw and high jump.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 19, 2016, at 00:45 AM

US takes gold and silver in shot put and they got pumped

Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images

Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images

American shot putters Ryan Crouser and Joe Jovacs used some muscle, and lung, power to take the top two spots in Rio on Thursday.

US women's soccer player said she was "really disappointed" in teammate Hope Solo for comments the goalie made after they were eliminated from competition by Sweden.

After the match, which ended in penalty kicks, Solo called the Swedes "a bunch of cowards" for focusing on defense and not taking many offensive risks.

"We played a bunch of cowards. The best team did not win today. I strongly, firmly believe that," Solo told reporters. "Sweden dropped back. They didn't want to open play. They didn't want to pass the ball around. They didn't want to play great soccer, entertaining soccer."

But speaking to NBC Sports on Thursday, Rapinoe said members of the defending US champion team should be more gracious when things don't go their way.

"We've been on the winning side quite a bit, and when we find ourselves on the other side, we need to handle that graciously, and unfortunately that wasn't the case," she said.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 18, 2016, at 21:50 PM

Helen Maroulis wins first ever gold medal for US in women's wrestling

Julian Finney / Getty Images

Helen Maroulis won the first ever gold medal for the US in women's wrestling on Thursday after defeating Japan's Saori Yoshida 4-1 in the 53-kilogram freestyle.

As Yoshida wept, Maroulis celebrated with the US flag draped around her back as she toured the mat. Yoshida was a 16-time world champion going for her fourth gold medal and hadn't lost a major tournament in years, the Associated Press reported.

Maroulis told reporters that she had admired Yoshida for years and considered it honor to go up against her on the mat. While she had become a world champion last year, this was Maroulis' first Olympics.

"I've dreamed of this my whole life," she said. "I put it on this pedestal."

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 18, 2016, at 21:17 PM

More athletes banned after failing doping tests, including bronze medalist

Tarnovschi, 19, placed third in the 1,000-meter single's final Tuesday and was due to compete in the 1,000-meter men's double event on Friday with his brother, Oleg. However, the International Canoe Federation said Serghei would "now no longer be eligible" to compete under anti-doping rules.

Also on Thursday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport disqualified three other Olympians — Chinese swimmer Xinyi Chen, Brazilian road cyclist Kleber Da Silva Ramos, and weightlifter Izzat Artykov of Kyrgyzstan — after their drug tests came back positive.

Chen, 18, came in fourth in the women's 100-meter butterfly, but later tested positive for a banned diuretic that can help mask performance enhancing substances.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport also removed Indian wrestler Narsingh Yadav from the Olympics and slapped him with a four-year suspension based on his test results.

Champion Polish weightlifter Tomasz Zielinksi and Bulgarian 3,000-meter steeplechase runner Silvia Danekova were the first athletes banned from the Games after the court determined they had been doping.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 18, 2016, at 20:57 PM

Ryan Lochte lied about robbery at gunpoint, Brazil police say

RIO DE JANEIRO — Authorities here on Thursday said that champion US Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte lied when he said he and three teammates were held up at gunpoint on Sunday by robbers impersonating police.

It was the latest twist in a bizarre, reportedly alcohol-fueled case that reportedly began with a lie from Lochte to his mother. It resulted in two swimmers being dramatically dragged off a flight from Rio at the last second and involving law enforcement officials on two continents.

"There was no robbery as it was reported," Chief of Civil Police Fernando Veloso said at a news conference Thursday. "The robbery they said they were victims did not happen."

The swimmers — Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, and Jimmy Feigen — were coming home from a party at France House on Sunday evening when they vandalized a gas station restroom, Veloso said, damaging mirrors and a door.

US women's team sweeps 100m hurdles

For the first time, the US women's team earned gold, silver, and bronze in an Olympic event. Brianna Rollins won the 100m hurdles in 12.48 seconds, followed by silver medalist Nia Ali in 12.59 seconds, and bronze medalist Kristi Castlin in 12.61.

Rollins led the run over the 10 hurdles, but the other medals came down to just a fraction of a second.

The fourth place spot went to Britain's Cindy Ofili with 12.63 seconds.

–Michelle Broder Van Dyke

Posted at
Aug. 18, 2016, at 02:28 AM

US wins bronze in women's beach volleyball

Ezra Shaw / Getty Images

Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross celebrate.

Americans Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross earned bronze in the final women's beach volleyball game on Wednesday. They beat out Brazilians Larissa Franca and Talita Antunes to medal.

Walsh Jennings made her debut at the 2000 Sydney Olympics on the US indoor volleyball team. She earned three consecutive beach volleyball gold medals at the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Olympics with her then partner Misty May-Treanor.

Ross played in the London games with Jen Kessy, earning silver.

–Michelle Broder Van Dyke

Posted at
Aug. 18, 2016, at 02:11 AM

Two American swimmers pulled off airplane and detained by Brazilian law enforcement

Two American Olympic swimmers who said they were with Ryan Lochte during an armed robbery in Rio de Janeiro were pulled off an airplane and detained by Brazilian law enforcement, the U.S. Olympic Committee confirmed to BuzzFeed News Wednesday.

Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger were headed back to the US when federal law enforcement pulled them off the flight, Patrick Sandusky, a spokesman for the United States Olympic Committee said.

"Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were detained Wednesday night shortly before their flight was scheduled to depart from Rio. They were released by local authorities with the understanding that they would continue their discussions about the incident on Thursday," a statement released by the USOC said.

An attorney for the swimmers said they will not be allowed to leave Brazil until they testify about the robbery, the Associated Press reported.

The USOC statement also mentioned a third swimmer, James Feigen, although his location was not immediately clear.

"James Feigen is also communicating with local authorities and intends to make further statements regarding the incident on Thursday as well," the USOC statement said.

News that the swimmers were detained in Brazil came after a Brazilian judge ordered Ryan Lochte to surrender his passport and stay in the country as the investigation into the robbery continue.

Icho also became the first woman to win an individual gold medal in four straight Olympics since the inaugural women's tournament in 2004, according to the Associated Press.

Her teammate, Saori Yoshida, is trying to match the four consecutive gold medal record with a wrestling even scheduled for Thursday.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 17, 2016, at 21:13 PM

Kazakhstan wins fourth straight gold in men's welterweight

Julian Finney / Getty Images

Kazakhstan continued its dominance Wednesday after its fourth straight gold in the men's welterweight competition.

Daniyar Yeleussinov defeated Shakhram Giyasov of Uzbekistan despite suffering a a large cut in his semifinal fight.

Kazakhstan boxers Serik Sapiyev and Bakhyt Sarsekbayev won the last three welterweight gold medals.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 17, 2016, at 19:13 PM

Senior Olympic executive targeted in major ticket scalping operation

Dmitry Lovetsky / AP

A member of the International Olympic Committee's executive board was accused Wednesday of plotting to illegally sell an estimated $3 million worth of tickets for the Rio Games.

Patrick Hickey of Ireland was arrested at his hotel but transferred to a hospital when a doctor determined the 71-year-old appeared shaken, the Associated Press reported.

Authorities allege Hickey conspired with at least nine others to transfer Rio tickets through the Ireland Olympic Council to an unauthorized vendor disguised the transaction as a hospitality package with high fees.

The alleged scheme's profits were estimated at $3 million.

Hickey, who is president of the European Olympic Committee, has served on the IOC executive board since 2012. Charges against include conspiracy and ticket scalping and he will be detained as the investigation continues and other arrest warrants are served.

International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said the organization would "fully cooperate" with police and had full confidence in the system.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 17, 2016, at 15:21 PM

Lawyer: Lochte left Brazil before judge ordered he surrender passport

Harry How / Getty Images

A Brazilian judge on Wednesday ordered US swimmer Ryan Locthe and teammate James Feigen to surrender their passports and remain in Brazil as police continue to investigate an alleged robbery.

However, Lochte's lawyer, Jeff Ostrow, told BuzzFeed News that the swimmer had already returned to the US "in the last day or so."

"He came home as he was planning to do," Ostrow said. "They never asked him to stay for any further investigation. Had they asked, he would have participated in any way he could."

Lochte, Feigen, and two other US swimmers say they were robbed at gunpoint while returning from a party early on Sunday morning.

Lochte told NBC their car was pulled over by men purporting to be police, when a man pointed a gun at his head and demanded the men hand over their valuables.

Police told the Associated Press they have uncovered little evidence of the robbery and said the swimmers were unable to provide officers with key details of the alleged robbery.

Ostrow maintained his client was telling the truth and said Lochte had "cooperated with Brazilian authorities."

"They provided the details they were able to recall when they had a gun pointed to their head in the early mourning hours," he said.

—David Mack

Posted at
Aug. 17, 2016, at 04:06 AM

French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie broke down in tears when he was booed on the podium

Fabrice Coffrini / Getty Images

French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie, who is the current world record holder, was in tears Tuesday as he was awarded the silver medal amid a swarm of boos and whistles from Brazilian fans.

On Monday night, Lavillenie was beaten by Brazil's Thiago da Silva, who won the host nation's first gold medal for this year's games in the process. The vocal home crowd booed Lavillenie throughout his attempts.

In reaction, Lavillenie compared the crowd's treatment toward him to how the Nazi Germany crowd acted during the1936 Olympics in Berlin towards American track and field athlete Jesse Owens.

"In 1936 the crowd was against Jesse Owens," he said. "We've not see this since. We have to deal with it."

It was Simpson's third Olympics, but her first medal. She won the 1500m at the US Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, last month.

Dibaba beat Kipyegon at last year's world championships and had been the favorite to win on Tuesday. The race between the two rivals was close, but Kipyegon swept past Dibaba at the final turn and opened up a gap.

–Michelle Broder Van Dyke

Posted at
Aug. 16, 2016, at 19:35 PM

With one final silver, the US gymnastics teams wraps up its best Olympics ever

Rebecca Blackwell / AP

Danell Leyva clinched a silver medal for Team USA in the men's gymnastics horizontal bar final on Tuesday, putting a shiny end to the team's most successful Olympics.

Germany's Fabian Hambuechen won gold, while Britain's Nile Wilson took home the bronze.

Earlier on Tuesday, Levya won a silver in the men's parralell bars.

With 12 gymnastics medals, the American gymnastics team is celebrating its most successful Olympic Games in history, according to the sport's US governing body.

For Felix, a second place win in the race still made her the most decorated woman in track and field with seven Olympic medals, breaking a tie with Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Felix is coached by Jackie's husband Bob Joyner-Kersee.

Felix won her first medal when she was 18 in the 200-meter race at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, and she's not finished yet. On Saturday, she will take part in the relay pool for the 4x400m, a competition she has previously won two gold medals in.

Jamaica's Shericka Jackson earned bronze with a time of 49.85 seconds in the women's 400-meter. Americans Natasha Hastings and Phyllis Francis finished fourth and fifth.

David Rudisha wins 2nd gold medal in men's 800m

Jewel Samad / Getty Images

Kenya's David Rudisha won his second gold medal in consecutive Olympic Games in the men's 800m race. He did not beat his record-breaking time of 1:40.91 from London in 2012, but still performed his season's best at 1:42.15.

America's Clayton Murphy won the bronze medal with 1:42.93, while Algeria's Taoufik Makhloufi took home silver with 1:42.61.

The race took place after track and field events resumed following a severe rain event.

–Michelle Broder Van Dyke

Posted at
Aug. 16, 2016, at 00:21 AM

Rain and wind postpone track and field events

Patrick Smith / Getty Images

Track and field events were postponed Monday evening amid heavy rain and high winds.

The pole vault final, women's discus preliminaries, and men's 110-hurdles were the events most immediately affected as officials waited for conditions to improve.

Strong winds can affect how high pole vaulters get and the trajectory of a discus, never mind the issues created by wet surfaces.

Uzbekistan wins first gold in men's 105-kilogram weightlifting

After pulling off the feat, Nurudinov shouted with joy and waved his nation's flag with tears in his eyes.

The world record holder in the event, Ilya Ilyin of Kazakhstan, had been favored to win gold, but he missed the Rio Olympics after failing doping tests.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 15, 2016, at 21:18 PM

Seven people injured after television camera plummets 60 feet

Robert F. Bukaty / AP

A television camera suspended more than 60 feet in the air crashed to the ground Monday, injuring seven people, officials said.

The camera, which provides aerial views of the main park fell into the basketball stadium after two guide cables snapped, the Olympic Broadcasting Service told the Associated Press.

Chris Adams, a British gymnastics fan, told the AP he watched the camera fall and hit two women.

"It looked like a flying saucer coming through the air when it hit these two women," Adams said. "There was quite a lot of screaming and a bit of commotion."

According to local medical authorities, the injuries were minor. However, at least one woman could be seen being carried away on a stretcher. All those injured had been treated and released by the evening.

A full investigation into what caused the cables to snap has been launched.

Gymnastics juggernaut Simone Biles faltered on the balance beam on Monday, but still managed to earn a bronze medal.

A mistake by the dominant American gymnast — who has already won three gold medals in Rio — paved the way for the Netherlands' Sanne Wever to take first place in the individual balance beam event.

Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images

USA's Laurie Hernandez, who with Biles won gold in the women's gymnastics team competition, won the silver medal on the balance beam with a score of 15.333. Wever had overtaken her with 15.466 for the gold medal, and even with deductions for her error, Biles earned a score of 14.733 to secure the bronze.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 15, 2016, at 20:15 PM

German canoe slalom coach dies of injuries suffered in Rio crash

Evaristo Sa / AFP / Getty Images

Stefan Henze at right.

A German canoe slalom coach has died from injuries he suffered in car crash in Rio, his team announced.

Stefan Henze, a canoe slalom silver medallist in 2004 Olympics, had fighting for his life since sustaining severe head injuries on Friday. Another German team official, Christian Kaeding, was also in the taxi at the time of the crash, but suffered only minor injuries.

The men were reportedly heading back to the athletes' village at the time of the crash.

Egyptian judo athlete sent home after refusing to shake hand of Israeli opponent

Toshifumi Kitamura / AFP / Getty Images

An Egyptian judo athlete has been reprimanded and sent home from the Games after refusing to shake the hand of his Israeli opponent, officials announced Monday.

Islam El Shehaby, the Egyptian, was booed by the crowd when he refused the customary gesture after his loss to Or Sasson in the heaviest weight class on Friday.

In addition to the breach of etiquette, El Shehaby had to be called on by the referee to give a traditional bow, which he eventually did.

While a bow is mandatory, shaking hands is not. Still, after the politically charged moment on Friday, a spokesman for the judo federation told the Associated Press that El Shehaby's "attitude" would be reviewed after the Games to see if any action should be taken.

On Monday, he was sent home with "severe" reprimand after the International Olympic Committee determined El Shehaby's conduct "was contrary to the rules of fair play and against the spirit of friendship embodied in the Olympic values."

Arriving to a throng of adoring fans, the 21-year-old swimmer said beating Phelps in the 100-meter butterfly was "definitely the highlight of my life."

It was also a highlight for the nation of roughly 5.5 million people.

Schooling reportedly spent more than an hour signing autographs and posing for photos as the crowd screamed and chanted his name. One of them, Sim Siew Png, told the Associated Press he arrived at Changi Airport seven hours early to see Schooling.

"I wanted to see the golden boy," the 17-year-old said. "Watching the moment live on television left me excited and happy. My family was screaming."

The organizers of the Rio Games have apologized after Ryan Lochte and three teammates were robbed at gun point over the weekend.

After initially denying the robbery took place, a spokesman for the organizing committee apologized to the athletes on Monday and said security would be bolstered.

"We obviously regret that the violence has (gotten) so close to athletes," Mario Andrada said, according to the Associated Press. "We have requested security authorities that they need to make sure everybody's safe everywhere in the city. We apologize to those involved. Once again, we regret that violence is still an issue at these games."

Lochte said he and fellow swimmers Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, and Jimmy Feigen were robbed early Sunday after the taxi they were in was stopped by people posing as police officers.

"The guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, 'Get down,'" Lochte told Fox Sports. "I put my hands up, I was like 'whatever.' He took our money, he took my wallet — he left my cell phone, he left my credentials."

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 15, 2016, at 17:24 PM

Gabby Douglas cried while talking about being bullied on social media

Mike Blake / Reuters

Olympic all-around gold medalist Gabby Douglas recently became a three-time gold medalist by being a member of the champion U.S. women's team in Rio.

But despite her victories, Douglas has been the subject of a ton of social media criticism during the Games.

On Sunday, Douglas finished seventh in the uneven bars final, her last event for these Games. After it was over, Douglas teared up and cried when speaking about how she had been treated, according to multiple reports.

"Either it was about my hair or my hand not over my heart [on the medal podium] or I look depressed. … It was hurtful. It was hurtful. It was. It's been kind of a lot to deal with," Douglas said.

Usain Bolt wins seventh gold medal, remains fastest man alive

Jamaican sprinter and current world record holder Usain Bolt won gold Sunday in the 100-meter dash.

Bolt finished with a time of 9.81 seconds, his best of the season. American Justin Gatlin won the silver medal at 9.89, and Canadian Andre De Grasse took the bronze with 9.91.

It was the first time anyone had won gold in the event for three straight Olympic games.

In the semifinal, Bolt had come in with a jaw-dropping 9.86. It eased fears that the 11-time world champion was coming into the Rio games weak; he suffered a hamstring injury earlier this summer that had prevented him from competing in the Jamaican Olympic trials.

In the preliminary run, Gatlin had earned the fastest time.
—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 15, 2016, at 01:10 AM

Wayde Van Niekerk sets world record in men's 400-meter, wins gold

Cameron Spencer / Getty Images

South African runner Wayde Van Niekerk set a world record on his way to Olympic gold in the men's 400-meter on Sunday.

Van Niekerk clocked in at 43.03, breaking the previous world record of 43.18 set in 1999. The previous Olympic record of 43.49 was set in the Atlanta games of 1996.

Van Niekerk, 24, is competing in the Olympics for the first time and also carried the South African flag in last week's opening ceremonies.

Grenada's Kirani James won the silver medal at 43.76. American Lashawn Merritt won the bronze at 43.85.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 15, 2016, at 00:40 AM

Andy Murray becomes first to win two tennis singles gold medals

Luis Acosta / AFP / Getty Images

Britain's Andy Murray won Sunday's tennis men's singles competition, becoming the first man to win two gold medals in the event.

Murray beat Argentina's Juan Marin Del Potro, winning three of four sets. Murray previously won singles gold in the 2012 London games, where he also won a silver medal in doubles.

Max Whitlock wins two gymnastics golds for Team GB in just over an hour

Mike Blake / Reuters

A sensational hour in British sport resulted in FOUR gold medals and two silver medals in just over an hour, which included gymnast Max Whitlock receiving two golds in two separate events.

The 23-year-old became the first Briton to win Olympic gold in gymnastics after the floor event, according to Agence France-Presse, but then won another top medal in the pommel horse just an hour later.

British teammate Louis Smith and American Alexander Naddour took home the silver and bronze pommel horse medals, respectively.

Whitlock now has five Olympic medals to his name, including three from the Rio games, having previously won the bronze in the all-around.

—David Mack

Posted at
Aug. 14, 2016, at 18:44 PM

Simone Biles wins her third gold medal of the Rio games

Mike Blake / Reuters

Simone Biles of Team USA cemented her status as the world's greatest gymnast on Sunday, claiming her third gold medal of the Rio Olympics.

The 19-year-old finished first in the vault event with a score of 15.966, besting Maria Paseka of Russia and Giulia Steingruber of Switzerland, who claimed silver and bronze, respectively.

Biles was met with a roar from the crowd as she ascended to the top of the podium during the medal ceremony.

She has already won two gold medals at Rio in the women's individual and team all-around events.

According to the US gymnastics governing body, Biles was the first American woman to win the vault event and the first to win three gold medals in a single Olympics.

—David Mack

Posted at
Aug. 14, 2016, at 18:38 PM

Kenya's Jemima Jelagat Sumgong wins women's marathon

Buda Mendes / Getty Images

Kenya took home the gold medal at the women's marathon event at the Rio Olympics on Sunday, with Jemima Jelagat Sumgong finishing the lengthy race with a time of 2:24:04.

US Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte's mother said her son and three of his teammates were robbed at gunpoint at a party in Brazil early on Sunday, but an Olympic official quickly told media this was "absolutely not true."

Sole Russian track and field athlete at Olympics is now banned

Eric Feferberg / AFP / Getty Images

Darya Klishina, the only Russian track and field competitor to have qualified for the Olympics, has now been banned by international regulators.

The Russian track and field team was disqualified from the Olympics earlier this year amid a doping scandal. International regulators ruled that the country's sports authorities had not done enough to secure its drug-testing program against cheating.

Klishina, a long jumper who trains in the US, was initially exempted from the ban because she was regularly drug tested outside of Russia. On Saturday, however, the International Association of Athletics Federations banned Klishina, AFP reported. She has appealed the decision.

The women's long jump competition is scheduled to begin Tuesday.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 13, 2016, at 18:38 PM

An Ethiopian athlete finished her race in just one shoe

Paul Gilham / Getty Images

On Sunday, Ethiopia's Etenesh Diro represnted her country in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase race.

The steeplechase is an obstacle race that includes 28 barriers to cross, as well as seven water jumps.

She was in first place, but about halfway through the course, Diro got stuck in a tangle with some of the other athletes, fell down, and broke some spikes on her right track shoe.

It looked like bad news for a while, but then she got up and kept running!

A rower from New Zealand won gold by a thousandth of a second

On Saturday, the men's single sculling finals took place in Rio and it turned out to be one of the closest finishes in Olympic history.

In the end, it came down to Damir Martin of Croatia and Mahé Drysdale of New Zealand. Read about the dramatic finish here.

Posted at
Aug. 13, 2016, at 15:18 PM

British men, American women claim gold in rowing

Jeremy Lee / Reuters

The British crew claimed gold in the men's eight rowing event on Saturday, the first such win for the team since the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

"It is wonderful for British rowing," coach Jurgen Grobler said after his team won handily by 1.33 seconds, according to the BBC. "I feel so good for the guys. There's a good mix of guys between the younger and older ones."

"That was a really tough race," said rower Paul Bennett. "The nerves were going mental but as soon as we finished the feeling is incredible after everything we went through."

The German crew took home the silver medal, while the Dutch team claimed bronze.

Meet the little boy who grew up to beat his childhood hero

Singapore's Joseph Schooling beat his idol Michael Phelps to win gold in the men's 100m butterfly final at the Olympic games in Rio.

Schooling, 21, claimed the first ever gold medal for Singapore with his Olympic record time of 50.39sec. American Phelps, 31, took an unprecedented three-way joint silver with a time of 51.14sec alongside South Africa's Chad le Clos and Hungary's Laszlo Cseh.

The event marked Phelps' final solo men's race, and while he said he was not happy to be denied a 23rd gold medal, he told The Guardian, "I'm proud of Joe," who the champion swimmer had first met in 2008 after visiting a training camp in Singapore during the Beijing games.

Anthony Ervin wins gold in 50m freestyle

American swimmer Anthony Ervin won the gold medal in the men's 50-meter freestyle Friday night.

Ervin finished the race in 21.4 seconds. French swimmer Florent Manaudou took the silver medal, while American Nathan Adrian won bronze.

Ervin, 35, first won an Olympic gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, when he was 19 years old. His victory Friday night makes him the oldest person to ever win an individual Olympic gold medal in swimming.

— Jim Dalrymple

Posted at
Aug. 13, 2016, at 01:38 AM

Katie Ledecky smashes world record in 800m freestyle

Julio Cortez / AP

Katie Ledecky continued her absolute dominance in the pool Friday, setting a new world record in the 800-meter freestyle and finishing far ahead of her nearest competition.

Ledecky also became the first woman since 1968 to sweep the 200-, 400- and 800-meter freestyle events in a single Olympics.

Ledecky touched the wall at 8:04.79, more than 11 seconds ahead of Jazmin Carlin from Great Britain. Boglárka Kapás of Hungary took bronze.

Earlier in the evening, the US' Maya DiRado won gold in the 200-meter backstroke, beating Hungary's Katinka Hosszu and Canada's Hilary Caldwell, who took silver and bronze, respectively.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 13, 2016, at 01:06 AM

Team China set new world record in cycling sprint

Pavel Golovkin / AP

Gong Jinjie and Zhong Tianshi of China set a new world record in the women's team sprint, eventually earning the Chinese their first track cycling gold.

a beating the Russian team of Daria Shmeleva and Anastasia Voinova in the finals.

China beat Spain in the semifinals with a world record time of 31.928 seconds, and then defeated the Russians.

"We wanted to show the strength of the Chinese people," Gong, silver medalist at the London Games, told reporters afterward.

The German team took home the bronze.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 13, 2016, at 00:59 AM

Rostami Kianoush of Iran sets a new world record for weightlifting

Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images

Kianoush Rostami of Iran set a new world record in the men's 85-kilogram weightlifting class.

Rostami hoisted 217 kilograms in the clean and jerk portion of the contest, adding to his 179 kilograms from his previous snatch for a total of 396. Tian Tao got silver with a total of 395, and bronze went to Gabriel Sincraian of Romania, who finished at 390.

After his heavy lift, Rostami kissed the floor and knelt in a position of prayer in celebration.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 12, 2016, at 23:01 PM

British pursuit squad takes gold with new world record

Pavel Golovkin / AP

The British pursuit squad beat Australia to win gold and set a new world record in the process.

The finish time of 3 minutes, 50.265 seconds gave Great Britain its third consecutive gold medal in the event, and made team cyclist Bradley Wiggins the most decorated Olympian in British history with his fifth gold medal and eighth overall.

Denmark beat New Zealand to take the bronze.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 12, 2016, at 20:47 PM

Germany takes gold in dressage

John Macdougall / AFP/Getty Images

John Macdougall / AFP/Getty Images

Germany edged out defending champion Great Britain to take the gold in dressage Friday.

Isabell Werth, Kristina Broring-Sprehe, Dorothee Schneider, and Sonke Rothenberger posted a score of 81.936%, with the British team finishing at 78.602%.

The US took bronze with a score of 76.667%.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 12, 2016, at 20:35 PM

German Olympic canoeing coach fights for his life in Rio

Richard Heathcote / Getty Images

Stefan Henze in the rear position in 2009.

German Olympic canoeing coach Stefan Henze is fighting for his life in a Rio de Janeiro after suffering serious head injuries in a car crash early Friday.

Henze, a canoe slalom silver medalist in 2004, was in a taxi heading back to the Olympic village when the crash occurred. In a statement, the German Olympic Sports Confederation described Henze's injuries as life threatening.

German sports scientist Christian Kaeding, who was also in the taxi, suffered minor injuries and has since been released from the hospital.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 12, 2016, at 18:57 PM

US women's soccer falls to Sweden in penalty kick shootout

Eraldo Peres / AP

US women's soccer is out in the quarter finals, falling victim to a penalty kick shootout with Sweden.

Expectations had been high for the US as it sought to grab a fourth consecutive gold medal. The US would have also been the first to win World Cup and Olympic titles in consecutive years.

But after a draw with Sweden, that record was quashed.

Tied after three rounds in the shootout, Sweden captain Caroline Seger beat US goalie Hope Solo to secure the win.

Speaking to reporters after the loss, Solo criticized Sweden's emphasis on defense, calling them "a bunch of cowards."

"The best team did not win today, I strongly and firmly believe that," she said, according to the Associated Press.

Sweden coach Pia Sundhage's response: "It's OK to be a coward if you win."

Pedro Vilela / Getty Images

It was the first time that an Olympic women's match had gone to penalties and the earliest the United States has been eliminated from the Games since women's soccer debuted in 1996.

The loss capped a rough run for the US women's team in Rio, with a 2-0 victory over New Zealand, a 1-0 win against France, and then a 2-2 draw with a lower ranked Colombia.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 12, 2016, at 18:19 PM

Egyptian judoka refuses to shake Israeli opponent's hand

Markus Schreiber / AP

Islam El Shehaby of Egypt refused to shake hands with his winning opponent, Or Sasson of Israel, on the judo mat Friday, prompting the crowd boo in response.

El Shehaby, an ultraconservative, had been pressured by Islamist-leaning and nationalist figures in Egypt to withdraw from the first-round heavyweight bout against Sasson, the Associated Press reported.

Sasson claimed victory with two throws of El Shehaby. But instead of a the customary hand shake, El Shehaby backed away from Sasson while shaking his head.

El Shehaby finally gave a quick nod after being called back to the mat by the referee, but was loudly booed during his exit.

Neither athlete commented on the exchange — or lack thereof —&nbsp;after the bout. But Ofir Gendelman, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, called the incident "shocking" on Twitter, saying it "goes against the spirit of Rio 2016."

The International Judo Federation, meanwhile, called it a sign of progress that the fight even took place given the political pressures back home.

"This is already a big improvement that Arabic countries accept to (fight) Israel," spokesman Nicolas Messner told the AP in an email.

Simone Biles says the team is celebrating their victory with a "huge pizza party and dessert"

Dmitri Lovetsky / AP

Speaking to reporters, Biles, who won the gold in the all-round gymnastics, said the team was going to celebrate their victory by having a "huge pizza party and dessert." The US women's gymnastics team also won the all-round gold for the second consecutive summer Games.

The 19-year-old also said that British diver Tom Daley was the "cutest Olympian" the team had ever met.

Talking about her teammates, Biles said that Laurie Hernandez was "so funny."

"She does a dinosaur thing you have to ask her about," Biles told reporters.

Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana smashes world record to win 10,000-meter gold

The runner set a world record finishing the 10,000 meter race with a time if 29:17.45. This was the first medal event for track and field in Rio.

Posted at
Aug. 12, 2016, at 13:47 PM

Turns out, mosquitoes are hardly bothering tourists at the Olympics

Tamerra Griffin / Via BuzzFeed News

One week into the Olympics, tourists from the US and Europe have told BuzzFeed News that they aren't too concerned about mosquitoes, the Zika virus, and other possible health risks in Brazil.

Despite the months-long frenzy spurred by news of Zika — which flared up in Brazil in January of this year and has since been called a global public health emergency — as well as concern over contaminated bodies of water, several people visiting Brazil have found a disparity between the hype leading up to the Games and their actual experiences.

Simone Manuel made history Thursday night as the first black woman to win an individual swimming event for the US.

Manuel, 20, won the women's 100-meter freestyle, tying with Canada's Penny Oleksiak for the gold medal with a time of 52.70. The time was an Olympic record. Saraj Sjostrom of Sweden took the bronze with a time of 52.99.

Manuel earlier won a silver medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay.

The swimmer said her win was not just about her achievement.

"This medal is not just for me," she said. "It's for all the people who believe they can't do it."

Michael Phelps won gold in the 200-meter individual medley on Thursday, his fourth win in the event in four consecutive Olympics.

It was the 22nd gold medal of his career.

Phelps hit the wall with a time of 1:54.66. Japan's Kosuke Hagino won the silver at 1:56.61, and China's Shun Wang took the bronze at 57.05.

Phelps also beat his friend and rival Ryan Lochte in the medley. The two Americans have competed against each other since 2004. On Thursday, Lochte came up short in the event, taking fifth place with a time of 1:57.47.

Belgian sailor Evi Van Acker has reportedly become the first Olympian to fall ill after sailing in Rio de Janeiro's polluted Guanabara Bay.

Van Acker — a star in her sport who won a bronze medal at the 2012 games — reported feeling sick Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.

Her coach, Wil Van Bladel, said that in July she caught a bacterial infection that causes dysentery. Her energy levels reportedly remained low during this week's races, which is a symptom of the infection.

"She could not use full force for a top condition," Van Bladel said, according to the AP. "The likelihood that she caught it here during contact with the water is very big."

Pollution in Guanabara Bay has regularly made headlines in past months. According to the AP, analysis showed the water was contaminated with raw sewage and included dangerous viruses and bacteria — findings that prompted one expert to advise Olympians against putting their heads underwater.

— Jim Dalrymple II

Posted at
Aug. 11, 2016, at 22:58 PM

The Fiji men's rugby sevens team wins the nation its first Olympic medal — and it's gold

John Macdougall / AFP / Getty Images

The Fiji Rugby Sevens team won the nation's first Olympic medal on Thursday — and it's a gold one at that.

The Fiji rugby sevens team has claimed victory over Great Britain 43-7. Dominating from the outset, the Fijians never looked like losing the final, kicking the ball dead with 20 seconds to spare.

Businesses across Fiji shut down for the morning to watch the historic moment, and people are already calling for the day to become a national holiday.

Team USA's Simone Biles won gold in the gymnastics all-around competition on Thursday, securing her place as the best female gymnast in the world.

Expectations were high for Biles, a three-time world champ, going into the Rio games. She met them and more, finishing the all-around competition with a score of 62.198. She closed out her rotations with a powerfully executed floor routine, her score of 15.933 skyrocketing past the competition from other countries.

It was the fourth consecutive all-around gold for the US team.

USA team captain Aly Raisman, who also competed in the 2012 London games, earned the silver medal. High scores on the balance beam and floor exercise pushed her ahead of other competitors, and she completed the event with a score of 60.098.

Russia's Aliya Mustafina, who had dominated on the uneven bars, earned the bronze medal with a score of 58.665.

Biles later told reporters that it felt amazing to have her success recognized, but she didn't feel like a celebrity.

"I'm not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps, I'm the first Simone Biles," she told reporters.

"To me, I'm just the same Simone. I just have two Olympic gold medals now. I feel like I did my job tonight."

Kayla Harrison won the gold medal in the women's 78-kilogram division Thursday, becoming the first American to win two gold medals in the sport.

Harrison became the first American to win a gold medal in judo in 2012 during the London Olympic games.

She defended her title when she forced France's Audrey Tcheumeo to tap out in the final seconds of the match with an armlock, giving her the victory.

Her coach, Jimmy Pedro, told the Associated Press Harrison was "on fire" in her matches Thursday, winning her first match in 43 seconds.

—Salvador Hernandez

Posted at
Aug. 11, 2016, at 20:15 PM

Husband of Spanish kayak gold medalist jumps into the water to celebrate

Phil Walter / Getty Images

Spanish slalom paddler Maialen Chourraut to have to celebrate alone after winning the gold medal Thursday after her husband and coach, Xabier Extaniz, jumped into the water and gave her a kiss.

Chourraut finished the course in 1:38.65, more than 3 seconds faster than Luuka Jones of New Zealand and becoming the first Spanish slalom canoeist to win an Olympic gold medal. Jones, last in her only previous major final at the 2014 worlds, was the first from New Zealand to medal in the discipline.

Jess Fox of Australia, the top-ranked woman and favorite to win, took bronze.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 11, 2016, at 20:02 PM

Brazilian soldier shot in head near Olympic venue

Felipe Dana / AP

A soldier was shot in the head after he and two other members of an elite Brazilian army unit took a wrong turn near an Olympic stadium in Rio on Wednesday.

Helio Viero was shot through the forehead after his GPS misdirected him and two other National Force members into the Vila do João favela. Another man, Captain Alen Marcos Rodrigues Ferreira, was injured in the confrontation, according to local media reports. The third man, Rafael Pereira, was unharmed.

Katie Ledecky set a new Olympic record for 800-meter freestyle

US swimmer Katie Ledecky continued to dominate the pool on Thursday, setting a new Olympic record for the 800-meter freestyle.

Ledecky touched the wall at 8:12.86 during the qualifier race, ensuring her spot in the final and beating second-place finisher Boglarka Kapas of Hungary by more than six seconds.

Ledecky beat her own record in the race four times in the past three years. The current world record stands at 8:06.6.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 11, 2016, at 03:11 AM

Ledecky leads Team USA women to gold in 4x200-meter freestyle relay

Tom Pennington / Getty Images

The American swim team won the gold medal in the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay on Wednesday.

Australia earned the silver, and Canada took the bronze medal.

The Australian team had led for much of the race, but Team USA pulled ahead as Katie Ledecky took to the pool. She finished the relay, bringing the team to gold with a time of 7:43.03.

It was the 19-year-old Ledecky's third gold medal in Rio and her fourth overall. She raced with teammates Allison Schmitt, Leah Smith, and Madeline Dirado.

The Team USA men also competed Wednesday in a variety of semifinals. Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte qualified to compete in the 200-meter individual medley finals; Jacob Pebley and Ryan Murphy will continue in the finals of the 200-meter backstroke.

Posted at
Aug. 11, 2016, at 02:53 AM

USA's Daryl Homer earns silver after losing sabre bout

Kirill Kudryavtsev / AFP / Getty Images

American fencer Daryl Homer won a silver medal on Wednesday after losing his sabre bout against Hungary's Aron Szilagyi.

Szilagyi won the gold medal after beating Homer 15-8. He maintained his lead over two periods.

South Korea's Junghwan Kim won the bronze medal in a bout earlier in the afternoon.

Posted at
Aug. 10, 2016, at 22:32 PM

Japan's Kohei Uchimura nabs men's gymnastics all-around title, again

Rebecca Blackwell / AP

Japan's Kohei Uchimura on Wednesday won the men's gymnastics all-around title, beating out Ukraine's Oleg Verniaiev by a fraction of a point.

Touted by some as the one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, Uchimura won the title after earning a score of 15.8 on the high bar.

This is the second time Uchimura has won the all-around title in the sport, winning it for the first time during the London Olympic games in 2012.

Verniaiev won second place, just ahead of Great Britain's Max Whitlock.

—Salvador Hernandez

Posted at
Aug. 10, 2016, at 20:22 PM

USA wins first men's judo medal in 12 years

Toshifumi Kitamura / AFP / Getty Images

Travis Stevens took home a silver medal in the men's 81kg judo event on Wednesday — the first man to win a medal for Team USA in the sport since the 2004 games.

Russia's Khasan Khalmurzaev won gold in the match — a feat no American has yet been able to achieve.

Rio is Stevens' third Olympic Games, after he previously reached the quarterfinals in Beijing in 2008, then the semifinals at the London Olympics in 2012.

"It's hard not to just break down in tears," Travis said, according to Team USA, "Not from losing in the finals, but from what we've overcome as a staff and loved ones to get me to this day. This medal is as good as gold."

The US last won a men's judo medal in 2004 when Jimmy Pedro took home a bronze. He's now the head coach of the team.

"The nice thing in life is, I love seeing people get a victory they really, truly deserve," Pedro said. Travis paid the price, stuck it out for four more years, and made it to the podium. I'm so happy for him."

—David Mack

Posted at
Aug. 10, 2016, at 20:03 PM

First independent athlete wins Olympic gold

Pascal Guyot / AFP / Getty Images

Fehaid Al-Deehani on Wednesday became the first ever independent athlete to win an Olympic gold medal.

The 49-year-old, who was born in Kuwait, is competing in the games as an independent athlete because his country is barred from the Olympics due to international sanctions.

He won the double trap gold medal match in Rio on Wednesday. Italy's Marco Innocenti and Great Britain's Steven Scott claimed silver and bronze, respectively.

—David Mack

Posted at
Aug. 10, 2016, at 18:42 PM

Be on the lookout for this fake Olympic image

Twitter: @Tansimnews

By now, you've certainly seen a photo of two Rio Olympics beach volleyball players, one in a long-sleeved shirt and hijab, the other in a bikini. It shows Egypt's Doaa Elghobashy going up against Germany's Kira Walkenhorst.

A version of the photo with the German player burred out, and some commentary in Farsi, has also been widely shared.

The tweet, which has been shared more than 6,000 times, originated with @Tansimnews, a parody account, but many people have been duped.

This Seems To Be Why The Olympic Diving Pool Turned Green

So you might have seen that the Olympic diving pool in Rio turned green on Tuesday.

Rio spokesperson Marlo Andrada said the green colour was due to a "proliferation of algae" that happened "because of heat and a lack of wind."

Algae are naturally found in small numbers in swimming pools, but they're so tiny you wouldn't normally be able to see them.

"They're tiny, they're far to small to be seen by the naked eye," Dr Stephanie Henson from the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton told BuzzFeed News. "But if conditions are just right then you get an algae bloom where it gets to the point where you can see the greenness in the water. Algae can multiply several times a day."

US wins 4x200-meter freestyle relay, Phelps' 21st gold medal

Martin Meissner / AP

The US swim team won the 4x200-meter freestyle swim, earning Michael Phelps his 21st gold medal.

The US team pulled ahead early in the race under Conor Dwyer, with Olympic rookie Townley Haas cementing their lead. He changed over to Ryan Lochte, and Michael Phelps brought home the team's win at a time of 7:00.66.

Great Britain and Japan fought hard for second place, with Britain ultimately pulling ahead and finishing at 7:03.13. Japan's team won the bronze at 7:03.50.

Hungary's Katinka Hosszu set an Olympic record on Tuesday in the 200-meter individual swim.

Hosszu clocked in at 2:06.58 to win the gold medal. Great Britain's Siobhan-Marie O'Connor earned the silver with a time of 2:06.88. American Madeline Dirado won the bronze at 2:08.79.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 10, 2016, at 01:35 AM

Michael Phelps wins men’s 200-meter butterfly swim, his 20th gold

Phil Walter / Getty Images

Michael Phelps won the 200-meter men's butterfly swim, again breaking the record for gold medals.

Phelps earned his 20th gold medal with a time of 1:53.36. Japan's Masato Sakai was just four-tenths of a second behind, winning the silver medal with a time of 1:53.40.

The fastest qualifier going into the competition was Hungarian Tamas Kenderesi, a 19-year-old Olympic rookie. On Tuesday, he won the bronze medal with a time of 1:53.62.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 10, 2016, at 01:27 AM

USA's Katie Ledecky wins women’s 200-meter freestyle swim

Richard Heathcote / Getty Images

The USA's Katie Ledecky won gold in the women's 200-meter freestyle swim on Tuesday, touching the wall with a time of 1:53.73.

Ledecky had the top time in qualifiers, with Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom closely behind her. Sjostrom took the silver medal on Tuesday with a time of 1:54.08.

Australiam Emma McKeon had pulled forward early in the race, keeping a pace with Ledecky. McKeon won the bronze at 1:54.92.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 10, 2016, at 00:41 AM

Shots fired at media bus in Rio de Janeiro

Adrees Latif / Reuters

Shots were fired Tuesday night at a shuttle bus taking journalists between Olympic venues in Rio de Janeiro.

No one was hit when two gunshots struck the bus, though two people were cut by broken glass, Reuters reported. The shooting took place on a highway between the Olympic basketball venue and the main park.

Shannon Stapleton / Reuters

Shannon Stapleton / Reuters

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 09, 2016, at 23:37 PM

Belgium judo bronze medalist punched in the face on Rio beach

David Ramos / Getty Images

Belgian judo bronze medalist Dirk van Tichelt was punched in the face as he chased the person suspected of stealing his cell phone during celebrations on Copacabana beach Monday night.

Van Tichelt was taken to the hospital for observation, but required no further treatment, the Belgian Olympic committee said.

He was sporting a black eye during an event on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

US women's gymnastics team takes home gold after dominating performance

Lars Baron / Getty Images

The US women's gymnastics team took home the gold medal in Rio for the a second consecutive summer Olympics after a dominating performance put them ahead of second-place Russia by more than eight points.

Powered by Alexandra Raisman, Madison Kocian, Lauren Hernandez, Gabrielle Douglas, and Simone Biles, Team USA finished with a score of 184.987, the Russian Federation came in at 176.688, edging out China, which got the bronze with a score of 176.003.

The most emotional win of the Games so far?

Goh Chai Hin / AFP / Getty Images

Colombian weightlifter Óscar Figueroa competed Tuesday in the final of the men's 62 kilogram weightlifting event.

With a combined total weight of 318 kg (701 pounds), he was already ahead of his nearest rival when he attempted his final clean and jerk lift of 179 kg. Although he managed to raise the bar to his shoulders, he couldn't hold it above his head.

But it didn't matter: His final score was still 6 kg higher than his Indonesian runner-up. He had won himself his first-ever gold medal.

The four-time Olympian was injured during the Beijing games and underwent back surgery as recently as January. So it's safe to say he was rather overwhelmed by his accomplishment.

He let our a roar, took off his shoes, then immediately retired from the sport. The crowd, understandably, went nuts.

Lilly King Just Wagged Her Finger, Won A Gold Medal, And Now Everyone Is Obsessed

Newly minted gold medalist Lilly King won the 100-meter breaststroke Monday and did so in truly ICONIC fashion.

Here's a little of the backstory:

Sunday night during the semifinals for the event, Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova wagged her finger after finishing her heat. That did NOT sit well with King, who wagged her finger in response while she waited to swim in the next heat.

Following that race, King has some harsh words for Efimova. Monday night, King crushed the 100-meter breaststroke finals and grabbed the gold.

People on Chinese social media are now trolling another Olympic athlete

Instagram: @camillelacourt_off

On Monday, French swimmer Camille Lacourt added to the criticism of CHinese swimmer Sun Yang. After coming fifth in the men's 100 meter backstroke, Lacourt said to French radio station RMC "Sun Yang, he pisses purple."

Soon after his comments, Lacourt's social media was swarmed by Sun's supporters.

American Lilly King wins gold in 100m breaststroke world record

Adam Pretty / Getty Images

Lilly King in Rio de Janeiro Monday.

American Lilly King won the gold medal in the 100-meter breaststroke Monday night, setting an Olympic record along the way. King, 19, finished in 1 minute, 4.93 seconds — beating Russian Yulia Efimova, who took second place. American Katie Meili won the bronze medal.

Drama between the American and Russian swimmers erupted earlier Monday when King was caught on camera wagging her finger at Efimova. The Russian swimmer failed a doping test earlier this year and previously served a 16-month ban from the sport over steroid use.

Prior to defeating Efimova, King criticized her.

"If that's what she feels she needs to be able to compete, whatever, that's her deal," King said, according to NBC. "I'm here to compete clean for the U.S. and that's what I'm going to do."

American swimmer Ryan Murphy, 21, won the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke Monday. Murphy finished in 51.97 seconds, an Olympic record. Murphy beat Chinese swimmer Xu Jiayu, who took second, and fellow American David Plummer who took third.

In the women's 100-meter backstroke, American Kathleen Baker, 19, won the silver medal Monday night.

Dominic Ebenbichler / Reuters

Kathleen Baker in Rio de Janeiro Monday.

Baker, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, finished in 58.75 seconds — just behind Hungary's Katinka Hosszu, who finished in 58.45 seconds and took the gold medal.

Canadian Kylie Masse finished third.

— Jim Dalrymple II

Posted at
Aug. 09, 2016, at 00:19 AM

Some Russian fans feel their country was unfairly targeted in anti-doping scandal

Tamerra Griffin / BuzzFeed News

RIO DE JANEIRO — Despite a months-long doping scandal among Russian Olympic athletes that ultimately resulted in a sweeping ban on many from the Games, several Russian supporters in Rio de Janeiro told BuzzFeed News that they will proudly support their country.

Some Russian fans said they believe the country has been unfairly targeted in the scandal, and pointed to the high likelihood that athletes from other nations have used performance-enhancing drugs, as well as the current political turmoil between Russia and countries like Ukraine and the US.

They shared their thoughts the day after the International Paralympics Committee (IPS) announced all Russian athletes would be banned from the Games, which begin on Sep. 7 in Rio de Janeiro. Additionally, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) barred 118 athletes from competition amid a doping investigation that surfaced after the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Jazz Carlin of Britain took the silver and Leah Smith of the US secured the bronze.

Ledecky's performance also delivered US Swimming's first gold medal of the Rio Olympics.

—Jason Wells

Posted at
Aug. 08, 2016, at 02:23 AM

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic out in first round of men's singles tennis

Charles Krupa / AP

Serbian star Novak Djokovic is out in the first round of men's singles tennis after losing to Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro.

Djokovic is ranked No. 1 in the world in men's singles tennis. He previously won a bronze medal in the event at the 2008 Olympics.

Del Potro will advance to the second round of singles on Monday. Djokovic will also play Monday in doubles with Nenad Zimonjic against Brazilians Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 07, 2016, at 23:21 PM

Venus and Serena Williams out of running for women's doubles tennis

Martin Bernetti / AFP / Getty Images

USA superstar sisters Serena and Venus Williams lost their match in the first round of women's doubles tennis on Sunday.

The Williams lost 3–6 in their first set and 4–6 in the second set.

The winners, Czech Republic's Lucie Šafářová and Barbora Strýcová, will continue into the second round of elimination matches on Monday. Quarterfinals are scheduled to begin Tuesday.

Martin Bernetti / AFP / Getty Images

Serena Williams is still in competition in women's singles tennis. After winning her first match, she is scheduled to play France's Alizé Cornet on Monday. Venus Williams lost her first round singles match.

The sisters were reigning champs in tennis doubles: They won gold together in 2012 as well as 2008 and 2000. Venus Williams took home the singles gold in 2000, and Serena Williams won the tennis singles gold in 2012.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 07, 2016, at 22:51 PM

US women's gymnastics leads 10 points in qualifiers

Rebecca Blackwell / AP

The US women's gymnastics team took a dramatic lead against the competition on Sunday in qualifiers.

The team competed in the fourth of five subdivisions, and by the end of their rotations they stood 10 points ahead of their closest competitors, Russia and China. Russia, China, Great Britain, and Brazil remained within one point of each other, a more typical point spread in the sport.

Rebecca Blackwell / AP

EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP / Getty Images

Rebecca Blackwell / AP

EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP / Getty Images

The US women's routines stood out for a high degree of difficulty and near-flawless execution. By the end of four subdivisions, the US' Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, and Gabby Douglas held the top rankings for all-around gymnasts. Only Biles and Raisman will be considered for the all-around medal, based on a rule that limits consideration for the award to two members of each national team.

David Ramos / Getty Images

Biles in particular had a stunning performance. The three-time world all-around champion stood almost two points ahead of her teammates and other competitors in the Olympic all-around rankings. By apparatus, she was in first place for beam, vault, and floor exercise.

The US' Madison Kocian held the top score for uneven bars.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 07, 2016, at 22:04 PM

Kosovo wins gold — its first medal ever at the nation's first Olympics

Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images

Majlinda Kelmendi became the first athlete to win a medal for Kosovo in the 52-kg category of women's judo.

Kosovo, a nation that declared independence from Serbia eight years ago and that was admitted into the International Olympic Committee just two years ago, did not just win any medal — it won gold.

Kelmendi, 25, beat out Italy's Odette Giuffrida, who won silver on Sunday.

A nation of roughly two million, Kosovo has eight athletes participating in five different spots at this year's Olympics — the country's first.

In an emotional ceremony, Kelmendi, who was the flag-bearer for Kosovo at Rio's opening ceremony on Friday, received the gold medal from IOC's president Thomas Bach.

In a visit to Kosovo last year, Bach said that he would hand out the medal himself if anyone from Kosovo was to win.

On Sunday, he followed up on his promise.

—Talal Ansari

Posted at
Aug. 07, 2016, at 20:40 PM

US cyclist Mara Abbott pipped at the post after leading race

NBC

Cyclist Mara Abbott suffered a heartbreaking defeat on Sunday when she finished fourth in the women's road race after being overtaken by three competitors in the final 100 meters.

The Colorado native was leading in the final 15 kilometers of the 136-kilometer race, but was caught in a sprint right at the end when the finish line was in sight.

With nothing left in the tank, she was overtaken and denied a spot on the podium at her first ever Olympics.

Cyclist suffers major crash in women's road race

Bryn Lennon / AP

Anniemiek van Vleuten of the Netherlands was poised to take the gold Sunday in the women's cycling road race when she crashed severely.

The 33-year-old was the lone rider in the lead at kilometer 116 when she went into a curve and lost control. The crash sent her and her bike airborne; officials later said she was communicating with doctors at a hospital and was expected to be OK.

Other riders closed the lead van Vleuten had obtained. Ultimately, the Netherlands' Anna Van Der Breggen took the gold, Sweden's Emma Johansson won silver, and Italy's Elisa Longo Borghini took the bronze medal.

—Claudia Koerner

Posted at
Aug. 07, 2016, at 18:38 PM

Serena Williams wins her first match since Wimbledon

Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

Tennis star Serena Williams on Sunday won her first match since being crowned Wimbledon champion last month, advancing through the first stage of the Olympic heats.

It took the top seed player 91 minutes to defeat Australian Daria Gavrilova, ranked 46th in the world, 6-4, 6-2.

Williams admitted after the match that she hadn't played perfectly, but the victory still means she has won 19 of her past 20 matches.

—David Mack

Posted at
Aug. 07, 2016, at 17:33 PM

The US men's and women's basketball teams are staying on a luxury cruise ship during the Olympics

Ivan Alvarado / Reuters

Brazilian police watch over the Silversea's Silver Cloud cruise ship that will house the USA basketball team.

​Although the vast majority of athletes stay in the Olympics village, NBA stars cite their popularity as a primary reason for the seclusion and separate accommodations.

"Let's be honest — how can our men's and women's teams stay in the village? They would get bombarded, especially the men's team. They won't have peace​,​"​ ​Angel McCoughtry​, a women's basketball player who is participating in her second Olympics, toldThe New York Times.

McCoughtry said the boat was "very nice" and "secluded."

Some of the most famous athletes from around the world are staying at Rio's Olympic Village, including runner and six-time gold medal winner Usain Bolt. Michael Phelps, who has more gold medals than any other athlete in history recently bumped into the world's number one ranked Tennis player Novak Djokovic​ at the village. ​

​The 16,000-ton ship, the Silver Cloud, can carry nearly 300 guests and has a casino, library, four restaurants and a beauty salon on board, according to the company's website.

Silversea Cruises

Andrew Bogut, an Australian basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks, and is playing for his home country of Australia in this year's games, recently tweeted a picture of himself putting together a shower curtain at the Olympic Village.

"#IOCLuxuryLodging. Putting together a show curtain so we can shower and not flood the place," the tweet read.

When a reporter mentioned the disparity of accommodations and Bogut's tweets to NBA star Carmello Anthony, who is staying on the ship, Anthony said he tries not to "compare the two situations."

​"​The Olympic village has always been something that we, as players, look forward to going to. We look forward to being there. We look forward to having that experience. But for us and them guys, it's just two different experiences​," Anthony said, according toUSA Today. ​

"It's not so much about us being and staying on a boat. It's just like we would be staying in a hotel. It's the same thing. It's not like we're cruising around. We're docked. We have the same amenities as if we're staying in a hotel, so I don't really see what the (discussion is about). The beds are not big. The rooms are small. There's some disadvantages to staying on the ship."
​
​The US team previously stayed on a cruise ship for the 2004 Summer Olympic games in Athens, Greece. ​

—Talal Ansari

Posted at
Aug. 07, 2016, at 17:01 PM

There's some serious DRAMA in the pool at Rio

Clive Rose / Getty Images

Bad blood between Chinese swimmer Sun Yang and Australia's Mack Horton has spilled out of the pool and onto social media.

The Aussie claimed gold on Saturday, beating the Chinese runner-up in the 400 meter freestyle. He also publicly accused Sun of being a drug cheat, due to a brief 2014 doping suspension.

Angry Chinese fans have responded by inundating Horton's social media with toxic comments.

Russia has been banned from next month's Paralympics

The Russia flag is raised during the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games Closing Ceremony.

The president of the International Paralympics Committee (IPC), Sir Philip Craven, announced on Sunday that the entire Russian team has been banned from next month's Paralympics over doping concerns.

"[Russia] cannot fulfill its fundamental obligations as an IPC member, and as a result, the IPC governing board has resolved to suspend the Russian Paralympic Committee with immediate effect," Craven said.

In July, the International Olympic Committee announced that Russian athletes would be allowed to participate in Rio despite the World Anti-Doping Agency's call for a complete ban.

Rowing cancelled due to poor conditions

Ezra Shaw / Getty Images

Sunday's rowing competitions have been postponed due to poor conditions, according to the sport's world governing body.

"Racing is postponed and will not take place today due to technical installation difficulties caused by the strong winds and the forecast for the afternoon which indicates adverse weather conditions," World Rowing officials said in a statement. "A new schedule is being prepared."

Choppy conditions during Saturday's events led to a pair of Serbian rowers capsizing — an unusual event in rowing.

—David Mack

Posted at
Aug. 07, 2016, at 13:40 PM

Day 2: What to watch

Damir Sagolj / Reuters

Shang Chunsong of China competes on the beam during the women's qualifications.

Gymnastics, swimming, tennis, basketball, and road cycling are among the big events taking place today.

Three American women are competing in the gymnastics qualifications today — Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, and Aly Raisman — but one of them will miss out on the final. Each country can enter just two competitors.

And the most decorated Olympian of all time Michael Phelps is back in the pool today, hoping to add to his record 22 medals. He will be competing in the medal round of the men's 4x100 relay at 11.52 p.m. (local time).

While Peaty swims for Team GB at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Mavis, who describes herself in her Twitter bio as "proud Nan to a world champion breaststroker," is busy back home in Staffordshire gunning for her grandson.

When Peaty qualified for Sunday's 100m breaststroke, breaking his own world record in the process, Mavis called her grandson a "gladiator".

Her incredibly supportive tweets have been a joy to see and her bang-on commentary of the games is worth following.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated earlier this week, the 35-year-old goalie said she wasn't affected by the crowd's jeering, and that she was concerned about the Zika epidemic because she wants "to start a family."
—Salvador Hernandez

Posted at
Aug. 06, 2016, at 20:23 PM

This swimmer's husband went absolutely nuts cheering her on

NBC

Tune into NBC for full Olympics coverage

The husband/coach of Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszu was filmed going absolutely nuts as his wife won her heat on Saturday, coming tantalizingly close to a world record.

Syrian refugee wins swimming heat

A Syrian refugee who found sanctuary in Europe after swimming in the icy Mediterranean waters inspired people around the world on Saturday, when she won her Olympic swimming heat.

Yusra Mardini, 18, is one of 10 athletes selected to compete in the first ever Olympics team composed entirely of refugees. The men and women from Syria, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Democratic Republic of the Congo received huge applause when they entered the opening ceremony on Friday.

On Saturday, Mardini won her Women's 100 meter butterfly swimming heat, posting a time of 1:09:21.

Although her time wasn't good enough to qualify for the semifinals, Mardini's victory in her heat has already led people to rejoice in her achievement on social media.